§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Navy Dockyard Expense Accounts of 1886–7, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General regarding his audit of them, have been referred for consideration to the Public Accounts Committee; whether it is intended to continue and extend this system of an independent audit of the Navy Expenditure on stores and labour; whether the opinion of the Public Accounts Committee has been requested upon the new form of Navy Estimates, as proposed on page 109 of the Navy Estimates, 1888–9; and, whether he has any objection to lay upon the Table a copy of the correspondence which has passed between the Admiralty and the Treasury on this subject of the new form of Estimates?
§ THE SECRETARY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)The Navy Dockyard Expense Accounts have not, I believe, been referred for consideration by the Public Accounts Committee. It is intended to continue the independent audit of the store and expense accounts, and to extend it as may be necessary for the public interest. The correspondence between the Admiralty and the Treasury on the new form of Navy Estimates was presented last night, and referred with the Estimates to the Committee of Public Accounts.